So sometimes I go visit my sister in Bloomington, IN. When I'm there, I always go to Sahara Mart which has all kinds of lovely delicacies, but my favorite part is their two very large aisles of beer. The first aisle has local selections, and US beer. The second aisle is international. I could spend a long time (and much money) in that place. And usually do (with some restraint).
I picked up a modest 4 bottles during my last visit. The Foret from Brasserie Dupont (Belgium) I had before, and picked up in hopes of getting my sister excited about Belgian beers. No such luck (more for me). The rest came home with me to Michigan.
Off the Cuff is a Spicy Cocoa Stout from Two Brothers Brewing in Warrenville, Illinois. It's a good beer, so it seems like preparation went into it. So it may be off the cuff, but it is also definitely off the chain. Or something. Super attractive with its thick dark brown body, and solid sudsy light brown head. The smell was subtle but definitely picked up both cocoa and spice notes. Because of the subtle smell, the very strong flavors took me by surprise. I tasted coffee then spice then chocolate. This actually made me exclaim, "Ooooooh!" out loud.
The spice was not very spicy as in heat, just peppery. Likewise, the chocolate was not overt or sweet. The flavors were strong but went really well together. The mouthfeel was medium-bodied, creamy, and substantial carbonation. Drinkability? Extremely good. The 7.2% alcohol is nice but not over the top. I am a fan of this beer.
A
I picked up a modest 4 bottles during my last visit. The Foret from Brasserie Dupont (Belgium) I had before, and picked up in hopes of getting my sister excited about Belgian beers. No such luck (more for me). The rest came home with me to Michigan.
Off the Cuff is a Spicy Cocoa Stout from Two Brothers Brewing in Warrenville, Illinois. It's a good beer, so it seems like preparation went into it. So it may be off the cuff, but it is also definitely off the chain. Or something. Super attractive with its thick dark brown body, and solid sudsy light brown head. The smell was subtle but definitely picked up both cocoa and spice notes. Because of the subtle smell, the very strong flavors took me by surprise. I tasted coffee then spice then chocolate. This actually made me exclaim, "Ooooooh!" out loud.
The spice was not very spicy as in heat, just peppery. Likewise, the chocolate was not overt or sweet. The flavors were strong but went really well together. The mouthfeel was medium-bodied, creamy, and substantial carbonation. Drinkability? Extremely good. The 7.2% alcohol is nice but not over the top. I am a fan of this beer.
A
